Unfinished
by Franny1987
Summary: Rachel and Quinn are still in high school. A project throws them together and unexpected feelings surface.
1. Chapter 1

"WHAT?!"

Both cheerleaders sprang forward almost colliding with the oak desk in front of them. On the other side sat their cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester, the gleeful smirk on her lips beamed wickedly as both girls rose to their feet, The blonde cheerleader Quinn shouting incoherently while the dark haired Santana threw her arms wildly whilst Spanish flew angrily from her mouth.

"Ladies.."

They both ignored her

"Ladies.."

They ignored her again.

"Shut the hell up" Sue shouted above their ramblings, they both stopped and turned to their coach, Santana crossing her arms across her chest and Quinn practising her bitch pose with her hands stacked on her hips.

 **Chapter 1**

" _Please don't be there, please don't be there"_

Rachel Berry peeked around the corner and quickly stepped back, of course they were there, they were always there. Giggling, leaning and waiting. Why did she have to have a locker neck to Quinn Fabray? She looked up to the ceiling, cursing the god she didn't completely believe in. If there was a god he hated her, he had to, and I mean why else would he be cruel enough to place her locker next to her unrelenting bully and head cheerleader Quinn Fabray.

Rachel looked again, Quinn was in her own locker probably hiding her latest sacrifices head while Santana Lopez stood with one shoulder against Rachel's locker. She had her back to her but from Rachel could see she was sharpening her talons with a nail file. Whatever they were doing they didn't look like they were going to move anytime soon. Rachel steadied herself and looked down at her outfit, she pulled down her yellow argyle jumper and wiped off invisible crumbs from her blue pleated skirt before running her fingers through her sleek brown hair. Squaring her shoulders she breathed in deeply before allowing her feet to carry her to her impending doom.

She arrived at her locker and beind Santana quicker than she wanted to. She cleared her throat but Santana ignored it,

"Excuse me"

Santana ignored her again.

"Santana, I need into my locker"

She still didn't budge

Rachel raised her hand up and placed it on Santana's shoulder, the Latino instantly spun around and faced Rachel waving the nail file in the air, recoiling in horror as though she just had acid thrown down her back

"Did you actually just touch me with your man-hands?"

Rachel took a step back, as Santana stepped in her face

"I'm sorry, I just need my biology book"

The entire student body seemed to appear around them and Rachel became very aware of this, her eyes travelling each set of eyes as they devilishly looked on in anticipation for her fate. She looked to Quinn who had snapped to Santana's side, accepting that this was how she would die. She could already feel both sets of hands around their neck. Squeezing her mediocre life out of her body. She was on the cusp of greatness, this after all was how the greats died. Young and before they had the chance to shine properly. Squeezing her eyes shut she waited for the first blow.

It hadn't always been like this, in middle school she was happy, school was good, she was getting good grades, singing in school productions and had a best friend Lucy. Who she did everything with, EVERYTHING from sleepovers to practising first kisses. They had great plans for the rest of their life, high school would be a breeze, they would have all the same classes, they would spend lunch gossiping, Rachel would join a drama club, Lucy would join the school paper or yearbook club where she could take picture all day long. They would both graduate top of their class, maybe even be valid Victorian. College would be even better, they'd be roommates, they would have independence, their own space, they would grow into the amazing successful adults they were bound to become.

All those ideas crashed around Rachel's feet on the first day of high school. Rachel's fathers had took her travelling Europe for the entire vacation. When she returned Lucy had vanished of the surface of the Earth, her phone calls and texts went un-replied. She went to her house, she was turned away. Lucy's Facebook page had also disappeared, there was literally no trace of her best friend. The first day of High school was all the more daunting now that her best friend was no longer by her side. She searched the corridor for her new locker, excitement buzzing all around her. Eventually finding it she stood there just looking at it and a body swerved in beside her, she looked quickly to her right and smiled at the blonde before turning back to her locker but her head snapped back.

"Lucy?"

Her eyes trailed the unknown slim body beside her up to the newly dyed blonde hair. Rachel was ignored. She moved closer but the blonde backed off

"Lucy why won't you talk to me?" she was ignored again

"LUCY!"

"My name is Quinn" she said through gritted teeth only loud enough for Rachel to hear her.

"What?"

Lucy/Quinn suddenly moved meanly towards Rachel pinning her against the metal locker, Rachel was scared, she had never seen this anger in Lucy's eyes before, she grimaced when The blonde moved closer, still gritting her teeth

"If you tell anyone my real name or who I am, you'll regret it"

With that she backed off and sauntered down the hall. The rest of the student body watched on with anticipated eyes, a look Rachel would come to know all too well so well she almost found comfort in it.

"What's going on?"

Rachel opened her eyes to see Mr Schuester had appeared, looking between the 3 girls he waited for his answer

"Berry was just giving us our homework assignment from English" Quinn answered

Rachel shot her eyes to her former best friend who cocked hr eyebrow in an attempt to threaten her.

"Rachel?" he queried

She nodded and moved to her locker and opened it pulling out her biology homework to hand it to Quinn

He looked between the sceptically but deterred when the warning bell rang above their head signalling the beginning of classes

"Right" he sighed "get to class"

Rachel watched him walk away, silently begging for him to come back when she noticed Santana's eyes where still focused on her but the second bell went and Quinn tugged on Santana's arm

"She's not worth another detention"

Santana thought for a second before relenting, she really couldn't afford another detention, as much as she regretted it she removed her laser stare from Rachel

"Next time" She grunted and moved to the other side of Quinn, both where about to walk away when Quinn lunged at Rachel. Quinn shouldered her so hard that landed with a crash against the locker before she and Santana sauntered down the hall laughing their heads off,

"Are you ok?"

She most definitely was not ok, but when she turned and saw the schools quarterback Finn Hudson standing beside her with a worried look on his face, she suddenly felt semi-ok. She smiled and what had pertained moments before melted away.

"Yes thank you Finn"

She beamed but realised she was beaming just a little too much when his eyes turned from worried to a little frightened.

"You know, um, Quinn doesn't , I mean, she isn't" he stumbled over his words and scratched the back of his neck, Rachel found it endearing but rolled her eyes knowing that he was of course going to defend his girlfriend. She expected him to, but she hated it, he was too good to defend her, he was too good for her, he should be with someone like her, no, he should be with her. Her body warmed itself as her imagination ran to thoughts of Finn kissing her, she felt s mile form along her lips which she quickly controlled when she realised that Finn was still rambling on without actually saying anything.

He was so cute, she had never really noticed or knew who he was before he suddenly and unexplainably joined the Glee club, but she was more than glad he did. His voice matched perfectly with hers it was inevitable she would develop feelings for him, the fact he had the most perfect eyes was just the cherry on the top.

"Rach?" That was it she nearly died on the spot at the shortening of her name. He was just the cutest. She dreamily eyed him and dreamily felt the smile form across her lips.

"Rachel, I better get to class" He side stepped her and looked worriedly at her just standing there smiling inanely but not saying anything.

The final bell ringing above her head brought her back into reality.

Santana, Quinn and Brittany, where scowering the school cafeteria, their eyes wandering from student to student.

"RuPaul" A wicked smile formed along Santana's lips and Quinn's eyes widened in horror, she shook her head wildly and looked over to where the brunette sat alone in the cafeteria, nibbling at a perfect triangle piece of sandwich, eyes darting around the room, scared of the direction the next slushee would come from.

"Are you serious?" she muttered out and Santana's wicked smile spread reminiscent of the Grinch's whilst Quinn's stomach fell with dread.

"Anyone but her" she pleaded but Santana shook her head

"Thems the rules Q, I get to pick if you refuse you forfeit"

"Fine" she scowled and banged her lunch tray onto the table and stood up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Quinn walked down the busy school corridor and the other students parted like the red sea, she would never get tired of that feeling. It made her feel powerful and important. Before high school she was a no-one and nobody paid her attention but now she was the most popular girl in school, every girl wanted to be her and every guy wanted to get with her. In one short year she had went from a ghost to the head cheerleader and homecoming queen. The next thing she craved was Prom Queen. By dating Finn Hudson she should have been a shoe in but this morning's antics proved that coronation might be just a little out of reach, and that was something that she would be damned if she let happen.

Entering the biology classroom her eyes scanned the room until they found their target, moving over to the bench she slid in and took the seat next to Rachel who was watching her every move carefully. Trying to fathom why the blonde had suddenly presented herself as her unofficial new lab partner. The minutes ticked by without a word being said, that was until Tina, Rachel's actual lab partner and fellow glee club member had arrived for class and confusingly stared at the pair.

"QQ-Quinn ttt-that's my sss-seat" Tina dropped her eyes to the desk, or to her feet basically anywhere other than the laser eyes she could already feel penetrating the skin of her head.

"Not today it isn't" Quinn declared while throwing her book down on the desk and flipping it over to today's page, Rachel noted it was the wrong page while Tina stood still rocking from foot to foot trying to build up the courage to argue her seat.

"b-but.."

"Stumbles, did I stutter? What do you not understand?.. Go fuck off and .DESK!"

Tina looked to Rachel who looked back horrified before shrugging apologetically. Tina fought back the urge to run from the class crying, their altercation had aroused her classmates attention and she wanted to be anywhere but here. She lowered her head even further and shuffled to the back of the class and found the only other empty seat next to stoner Brett and sat down avoiding making eye contact from the glares from everyone in the room.

"You didn't have to be so mean" Rachel fixed her eyeson her own book as she flipped to the correct page and pulled out a pen from her pencil case.

"Whatever" Quinn muttered as Rachel shook her head

"What happened to you?"

Quinn snapped her head to Rachel, anger bursting through her expression, words ready to flow angrily at her but she controlled herself when Ms Edmund the Biology teacher stepped into the room, she ran her eyes over the students counting them but stopped at Quinn before looking to Rachel, her eyebrow quirked at the change but instead of questioning she shook her head and went to the board.

"Change of plans class, instead of individually dissecting a rat after many many debates from a certain member of the class I will do it under the projector and you will take notes"

Everyone groaned and instantly looked to Rachel, except from Quinn who continued to stare at the board, trying to force the burning anger to dissipate.

"Ok get ready to take notes on the diagram" Ms Edmund instructed while she set herself up at the front of the class

Quinn looked to her book confusingly not able to locate the required diagram, Rachel watched her from the corner of her eye before sighing and reaching over flicking the page over to the correct page, for a brief second Quinn forgot herself and looked at Rachel offering a small smile of thanks and Rachel saw a flash of her former best friend but just as quick the smile dropped into a scowl.

* * *

A few moments later Ms Edmund had already pinned the rat to the board and was beginning to peel back the skin when Quinn leaned slightly into Rachel's space,

"Are you busy after school?"

Rachel stopped taking notes and looked around the room to see who Quinn was talking to, no-one was paying them attention their eyes where all fixed at the screen, most with disgusted eyes and some with delighted, Rachel began to worry about the delighted eyes.

"Well are you busy or not?" Quinn asked through practically gritted teeth

"Why?"

"Just answer the question!"

Rachel thought for a moment, imagining every outcome possible, all ending very badly for Rachel, but as always her curiosity got the better of her.

"I have Glee club but nothing after that why?"

"Can I come over?"

"What for?"

Quinn rolled her eyes,

"Look can I come over or not?"

"I don't think that's a good idea, my dads will be there"

"Oh" Quinn forgot about Rachel's dads, they would probably hate her now and that thought brought a little sadness to her but she batted it away. "Well can you meet me after Glee?"

"What for?" Rachel looked at her trying to read her as she continued to stare in the direction of the board

"I want to talk to you"

"Why?"

"You're so frustrating, can you meet me or not?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to respectively decline"

Quinn huffed and gathered her stuff before sliding off her stool and stomping towards the back of the class and back to her seat, forcing Tina once again to move. This time she was happy to and almost burst with joy at taking back her rightful position

"W-what did she want?" she asked

"I have no idea" Rachel said looking back over shoulder to Quinn who was glaring back at her.

* * *

Rachel's head was still reeling by the end of the day, for a brief second she let herself think that maybe just maybe Quinn had decided to be Lucy again and was trying to make amends but she shook herself from those thoughts, a sense of dread pumping through her veins overtook any form of wishful hoping. She was sure that this was some mean ploy to embarrass and destroy her orchestrated by Quinn, Santana and Brittany A.K.A the unholy trinity

She missed the Quinn she knew, she missed her kindness, she missed her laugh, she missed always having someone to talk to and she missed having someone who understood her crazy. She felt like her Quinn had died, she grieved for her like she had. Sure in reality she was very much alive and the remnants where still there but Quinn's body shape had changed from plump to slim, her hair from murky brown to shining blonde and her acne skin clear and bright without as much a shadow. she had also became very mean and downright horrible to everyone, But her eyes, by gosh her eyes still shone the way they always had, they just seemed a little jaded. In biology class in the moments when no-one spoke she felt all was right with the world again, but then when Quinn spoke to her she was reminded of every harsh word, every hit and every face slushie she had received at the hands of Quinn and she realized that the version of the girl she loved was long gone and in its place was the vile Quinn.

* * *

She was walking along the side walk trying to shield herself from the wind that was whipping up around her cheeks, It was mid-October and the temperature was dropping on a daily basis, Rachel pulled her burgundy duffel coat tighter around her body trying to dig her hands deeper in the pockets, wondering why her dads hadn't bought her a car yet, sure she hadn't actually passed drivers Ed yet but if she had a car she would be more inclined to. She really should get on that, deciding the best course of action would be to go to her daddy first, he was easier to convince and he in turn turn would convince her dad. She had just reached the cross walk when a red beetle screeched to halt in front of her and the passenger window slid down.

Looking through the now empty space she saw Quinn looking back at her,

"Get in" Quinn demanded

"You don't take no for an answer do you?"

"Rachel get in the car" Quinn was growing more and more impatient with each rejection

Rachel looked apprehensively around herself still looking for the punchline to whatever joke this was,

"Get in the fucking car RuPaul!"

Rachel stood up straight and laughed to herself, scolding herself for relenting for even just a second, she turned on her heel and began walking again, the car moved and stopped just a few feet ahead of Rachel, she changed direction again and made an attempt to cross over the road but Quinn had got out the car and quickly caught up to her, the blonde reached out and managed to curl her fingers around Rachel's wrist practically swinging her whole bod around to face her.

"Just hear me out" she pleaded

"Nothing you have to say interests me" Rachel had now managed to snap her hand free and walk off leaving a dumbfounded Quinn staring after her.

She sighed watching the brunette disappear out of sight, when she began to walk back to her car she fought back the tear that threatened her eye, she would be lying if she said Rachel's constant rejection didn't hurt her feelings, but she did what she always did and banished those feelings, something she had become outstanding at recently.

Quinn walked through the door and as it shut behind her she lay her back on it, she looked up to the ceiling and closed her eyes. Relieved to be back at her sanctuary for a brief second before she remembered that it was now tainted. She allowed herself a few more seconds solace before opening her eyes and pushing herself off from the door.

"Dad?" she called out

No answer came so she began making her way through the eerily quiet house, a noise that she would never get used to. She started with the kitchen which was empty apart from a single scotch glass sitting next to the sink, she walked over and picked it up before placing it into the dishwasher. Her next destination was the lounge, but again it was empty. She had now searched the entire bottom level of the house and was making her way up the stairs when her phone beeped in her pocket, Finn's face flashed across her screen but she muted the call before placing her phone back into her pocket. She crept carefully into her parent's room and instantly heard a deep snore.

Venturing further in she found her father passed out on top of the king-size bed cradling an empty bottle of scotch, she moved over to him and carefully removed the bottle from his grip, he groaned but didn't wake and turned further into the bed. With one knee she heaved onto the bed and unwrapped the already loosened tie from his neck and unbuttoned a few more buttons on his shirt. Placing the tie on a chair she crept silently back out of the room, commending him for at least making it to work that day.

Entering her own room she kicked off her sneakers and walked over to her laptop which sat on a white desk at the bottom of her bed, she pressed the power button before walking to her bathroom and starting up the shower, unzipping her cheerio's outfit she placed it carefully onto the waiting hanger. The hot water bounced off her soft skin and that's when she broke, tears fell thick and fast matching the pour from the shower head. Her body shook with every erupting sob, she tried to contain it by putting her hand over her mouth but it took a good fifteen minutes for her to calm down and emerge from the shower.

Pulling on a pair of green shorts and tight white vest top she sat down in front of her computer while still towel drying her hair. She touched the mouse to bring the screen to life, she then moved the mouse again and brought up Facebook, in the search box she typed in Rachel's name and began scrolling through her page, she wasn't friends with Rachel but her page wasn't private therefore accessible to anyone and Quinn checked her page daily, it was her guilty little pleasure. She liked watching the videos of her singing but was disappointed when no new ones had been posted recently. She was about to click away from the page when she hovered her cursor above the "Add friend" option. Bringing her bottom lip between her teeth she was about to click down when the Skype box appeared on her screen, confirming the call before Santana's face engulfed her screen.

"What up medusa"

Quinn smoothed down her untamed hair forgetting that she had just came from a shower,

"Have you managed to coax dwarf into our evil plan yet?" Santana asked

"Nope, but give me time she'll be putty in my hand" Quinn smirked wickedly at the screen.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Aw, hell no" Mercedes moaned

"you cannot be serious?" Kurt added taking to his feet and storppely crossing his arms over his chest.

"i.i.i.i. don't t-think this is a good idea" Tina also added

"i don't see the problem, I think this could be good for us" Finn smiled,

Every glee club member whipped their head to where he sat at the drum kit before he raised both the sticks questioning their hostility.

"Wait a minute, how come Rachel hasn't said anything?" Mercedes asked causing them all to whip their heads to her.

She sat motionless in the second row looking off to the side. Just staring as though she would rather be anywhere but where she was in that precise moment in time

"Rachel, what do you think?" Finn asked hopeful, hw placed down the sticks and moved out from the kit.

She looked at him, then to the eyes staring at her before looking to the middle of the room where 3 cheerios' lead by Quinn stood in perfect formation, each with one hand on their respective hips. She could feel their eyes burning in her skin, a wicked smile crept along Quinn's lips. She knew by the way Rachel was avoiding any eye contact that inside she was seething.

"Its not upto me" she said folding her arms over her chest and looking back to a very interesting albeit only to her spot at the far wall.

"Guys, you know the rules anyone who auditions for this club gets in" Mr Schue explained with a kind smile

"It's a ruse, they've probably got slushies stashed in their pom-poms" Kurt waved his hands at them

Mr Schue furrowed an eyebrow and looked to them. Questioning them silently but relenting when each girl smiled sweetly.

"Can they even sing?" Mercedes asked

Quinn turned to Mr Schue and smiled with a nod giving him his cue to reach over the piano and press play on the blue portable stereo.

The opening bars filled the room and The 3 cheerio's took their places,

Santana and Brittany moved to the front covering Quinn and began moving their hips in time with the music "I say a little prayer for yoouuuu" they sang in unison before Quinn dramatically pushed through them taking centre stage, self-assurance and smugness ringing throughout her face as she set her eyes on Rachel.

"The moment I wake up .. before I put on my make-up"

They danced perfectly in time, Rachel wasn't surprised though, she hated all 3 of them with a burning passion but they were surprisingly incredible cheerleaders and dancers, if and when she attended a football game she was always mesmerised by their ability to read each other's minds and make the exact same move at the exact right time. What she was surprised it was Lucy/Quinn's new found singing voice. For years throughout their friendship she begged and pleaded for them to sing together, wither it be Disney-sing-along, learning all the songs to every musical Rachel could think of or forming a rock band. Lucy/Quinn's shyness would envelope her and render her mute, so instead she would be the audience, along with Sparkles and Goldie. Rachel's childhood teddies.

She smiled remembering who they used to be but when she looked up and caught eyes with Quinn's everything that happened since last summer streamed through her head and her smile dropped. This didn't go unnoticed by Quinn, it threw her off for a fraction of a second but she quickly regained her composure and finished their song. No applause came until the three girls glared at their audience forcing them to reluctantly clap their hands together.

"Welcome to the New Directions" Mr Schuester said as the unholy trinity sauntered across the floor towards the plastic chairs and took the row in front of her.

* * *

A six-year-old Rachel curiously watched the little girl. She opened her lunch box looked inside before shutting it again and looked around the cafeteria, she looked at the other kids while they laughed, talked and messily ate their own lunches. Rachel continued to watch as the little girl then flicked her eyes to one of the teachers. The teacher turned for a few seconds and the little girl leaned forward and opened her mouth as though she wanted her attention but slumped back in her chair when the teacher looked away, she leaned forward again and re-opened her lunch box before repeating the whole process 6 further times.

On the 7th time Rachel gathered up her own lunch box and made her way to the end of the table, she stood over the girl while she continued to stare in her box,

"I'm Rachel" she said proudly

The little girl looked up with tear rimming her eyes

"Are you not hungry?" Rachel asked looking from the strange girl then to her lunch box the "my little pony" box

The girl watched her for a second and then reached forward and opened the box allowing Rachel to look inside,

"My juice box burst" she looked at Rachel helplessly as a tear fell from her eye, Rachel looked and saw sandwiches being pickled in orange juice before she reached over and shut the box and pushed it into the centre of the table.

"You can share mine" Rachel smiled broadly and took the seat next to Lucy.

From her own box she pulled out a napkin and laid it down on the table before placing on it half a crust-less peanut butter and jelly sandwich, babybel, some grapes and half a banana. Lucy watched her new strange friend as she slid the napkin in front of her. Then pulling out her care-bear flask she sat it between them.

"You can have as much as you want, it'll make you feel better" Rachel smiled and lifted her sandwich taking a bite

"I'm Lucy"

* * *

"Rachel?"

She got so lost in her own thoughts that she failed to noticed the entire glee club staring at her, including Finn who was now sitting next to Quinn with his big stupid arm around her stupid shoulders. She scowled. Then looked up to Mr Schuester as he stood expectantly waiting for her

"Huh?"

"ideas, for sectionals?" he goaded

"Oh" She stood up and made her way to the centre of the room and turned and faced the rest of the glee club, purposely avoiding eye contact with the 3 cheerleaders and Finn.

"We have to do something that will make us stand out, make us memorable, sure we could amaze them with my amazing vocal abilities but I think we should do original songs"

She waited for gasps, applause and at the very least a standing ovation but instead was met with groans. She looked around at their unimpressed faces wondering why she had been blessed with such mediocre talent. Seriously why didn't the appreciate her greatness.

"Anyone else?" Mr Schuester kindly guided a visibly upset Rachel back to her seat.

* * *

Quinn teetered on the edge of her bed and furiously scrolled through the phone in her hand while she was careful to keep an eye on the bathroom door, ignoring the fact that it was kind of stupid considering she would be able to hear when someone was going to approach, the flushing would be a dead giveaway., in seconds she scrolled trough text messages, call logs and snap chats, looking for something without knowing what. Maybe it was the 'Lucy' in her, sometimes her self-consciousness creep up. Finn loved her, she knew he did, but there was always that niggling little voice from the back of her head screaming that she was a fraud and one day everyone would join the dots and find out who she really was.

After finding nothing on his phone she was about to discard it when another though crept into her mind, she looked around the room and located her own phone, scrolling through his address book she found Rachel's name and copied it into her own. The toilet flushed as expected and she returned the phone to its previous abode before moving over to her dresser and pulling open a drawer.

"Are you ready? Finn emerged from the bath room and moved until he wrapped himself around her waist and kissed the crook of her neck, she smiled and let herself melt into him, she thought she would never get tired of this feeling. For the first time in a long time she felt safe, he made her feel safe.

"I don't feel like going to that party" she groaned and turned in his arms, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck as he pecked at her lips and smiled

"we could just stay here and …" he nodded towards the bed with a grin.

He kissed her again but started trailing his lips along her jawline and down her neck, she giggled into him and allowed him to lift her off her feet she wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him hard on the lips while he moved both of them towards the perfectly made bed and laid both of them down. Their lips connected aggressively, there was no routine, lips just mashing together, she didn't know if she liked it, she thought kissing would be different she thought it would feel nicer, she never thought it would feel like..well nothing.

She could feel his hands start to trail up and down her body, she didn't mind at first until his hand was on the bare flesh of her thighs getting higher and higher until she batted his hand away, he groaned and disconnected his lips from hers

"I'm sorry, I just got carried away" he brought his body up so he was sitting and she mirrored him

"It's ok" she smiled but he took to his feet and turned from her

"Are you ok?"

"I erm, think its best that I go"

Without giving her the chance to answer he grabbed his jacket and phone and exited the room without as much as a bye. Sighing she lay back on the bed and punched the mattress. He really was a good boyfriend, He never tried to push Quinn, he allowed her to take the reins on every aspect of their relationship, but she did totally understand his frustrations. He was a teenage boy after all and she was his hot girlfriend. she closed her eyes, they would always get so far and for some reason she would always stop anything going any further than over the bra touching. No matter how much she wanted it to.

Her phone beeped and she reached into empty space for a few seconds before locating it and bringing it into view.

 _ **Finn: "I'm sorry, see u 2moro? Xxx"**_

She smiled, and began typing back when she remembered what she had done earlier. After finishing her reply, she began a new message.

 _ **Quinn: Hello**_

She deleted it

 **Quinn: Hi**

She deleted it

 **Quinn: Hey**

She Deleted it, but re-wrote it and for a few seconds she pondered over the 'Send' button before closing her eyes and pushing down on her screen.

Her phoned beeped almost instantly.

 _ **Rachel: Hey, Who is this?**_

 _ **Quinn: Guess ;)**_

 _ **Rachel: I'm not in the mood for childish games**_

Quinn Thought for a moment, maybe this wasn't going to be as fun as she thought it was, she was about to discard her phone when another message came through

 _ **Rachel: I know It's you Lucy, what do you want? Isn't it enough you terrorise me in school but now you're actively seeking me out?**_

 _ **Quinn: MY NAME IS QUINN!**_

 _ **Rachel: whatever, what do you want?**_

 _ **Quinn: 2 talk**_

 _ **Rachel: About what?**_

Across town Rachel sat deep in the corner of the red leather sofa as her fathers cuddled up on the opposite matching grey one watching a documentary about Darwin's finches, The room was dark with only the light from the 50" LCD TV and Rachel's phone illuminating them. Quinn hadn't replied to her as quickly as she had been, as much as she hated it she was slightly disappointed knowing that this was probably the end of their small almost conversation. Sighing she threw her phone down on the empty seat next to her.

"Everything ok sweetie?"

She turned to her father voice and was met with both of them looking at her with worried expressions on their faces.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she tried her best fake smile before pulling herself off the leather.

"Think I'm going to get an early night" she stood up and stretched out her tiny body, faking a yawn.

"Its 8:30" Leroy replied

"It's Friday night" haram added

She sighed then threw herself back down, both continued to watch her until she picked up her phone to check it but threw it back down with another sigh

"Waiting for someone?"

"No Daddy" she replied and focused her attention back towards the screen

They looked at each other before turning their attention back to the tv, both silently worrying about their only daughter.

* * *

A week passed and Rachel hadn't heard anything from Quinn, even at school Quinn seemed to try and avoid her. Their usual morning encounter at the lockers went without so much as a glance, it was unsettling to Rachel, in a weird way she would rather have vicious words or a slushiness slung at her, at least then she knew what was happening and she wouldn't have this unnerving feeling in the pit of her stomach. Quinn definitely was up to something, but Rachel couldn't figure out what but whatever it was she was sure that she would find out this afternoon at their weekly Glee meeting.

"You need to step up your game Q, time is running out"

Quinn watched Santana as she leaned over the porcelain sink and smoothed out the cherry lip balm on her bottom lip with her finger.

"I'm handling it"

Santana stopped and stood straight checking her reflection.

"Sure you are" she said with a wicked smirk before tightening her pony tail and heading towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Quinn asked

"Glee, remember?"

* * *

Quinn choose the row behind Rachel this time, Finn sat on her right side and Santana on her left, Brittany was over next to Mike Chang trying to out dance each other, Quinn observed them for a few seconds before flicking her eyes to Rachel who was sat herself in the second row watching Tina, Kurt and Mercedes who were sat in the front row talking and laughing amongst themselves, she watched her profile. Knowing that she was obviously upset at being left out. The Lucy part of her felt sad, she wanted to go to her but the Quinn part overtook and with one last fleeting look she turned her attention to Finn as he put his arm around her.

"Sectionals!" Mr Schuester clapped his hands together as he entered the room, in two sweeping glides he was front and centre,

"What about them Mr Shue?" Finn asked excitedly.

"We still need the wow factor!" he pointed his finger in the air and waited for suggestions that never came.

"C'mon guys, there must be something"

Rachel thought for a second before putting her hand in the air. The smile faded from his face knowing what she was about to suggest.

"Rachel?" he audibly sighed

She stood up but didn't move from the circumference of her seat.

"I know you Don't like what I'm about to say but I really think this is best thing we could do, and I know you're going to say there isn't enough time, but I really believe as a group we could do this"

The group groaned, even Mr Schuester rolled his eyes until a voice came from nowhere

"I don't think it's that bad an idea"

Everyone including Rachel turned and looked to Quinn wide eyed.

"I mean, if we want to win we gotta be the best, and to be the best we have to do something no-one has ever done before"

Everyone's eyes where glued to her.

"There just isn't enough time, maybe next year" Mr Schuester turned his back in an attempt to end the conversation

"What are you so afraid of?" Quinn challenged

A room full of mouths gaped open and switched their eyes to him as he turned back around.

"Fine, if you and Rachel think this is such a good idea, then why don't you write the songs together?"

It was like a tennis game, eyes where flicking between Mr Schuester, Quinn and Rachel.

Quinn thought for a moment knowing that he has just played right into her hands.

"Fine" she smiled and looked to Rachel, who was staring back at her almost aghast with eyebrows furrowed into the centre

"Wait, what?"

.


	4. Chapter 4

Thank you all for your kind reviews, they really mean so much, hope you all enjoy this new chapter and keep reviewing to let me know what you guys think x

* * *

Chapter 4

Rachel picked up another throw pillow, patted it and put it back down before moving onto the next while her fathers watch on mesmerised. Her mind kept repeating yesterday's glee club meeting over and over again, she still wasn't 100% sure how it got to the point it did, she still couldn't understand why Quinn/Lucy was coming over to her house this afternoon to write. After patting all the pillows, she moved over to the glass coffee table and began to re-arrange the carefully placed magazines in an attempt to make them look neat but not staged.

"She's already fixed that" Hiram said to in a whisper to Leroy

"Fascinating" Leroy replied placing the index finger of his right hand onto his lips pondering his daughter's actions

"Honey, you do know Lucy has been here before, she's even sat in that very sofa wearing 'The little mermaid' pyjamas watching the Disney channel" he said

Rachel stopped in the centre of the room and looked around, her eyes searching for anything that could be out of place, which wasn't even possible down to the fact she had already cleaned over 100 times. She moved over to the pristine fireplace and readjusted the photo frames containing many photos of herself over the years with the same wide grin, she stopped at one from when she was 10, she picked it up and held it closer to see it clearer , it was a picture of her and Lucy at Martha's vineyard holding hands and looking up at the lighthouse, she absolutely loved going to the vineyard, they would go for 4 weeks every summer and Lucy would often go along with them if her own parent weren't selfishly dragging her to Europe. She smiled for a second before placing it back down.

"It's Quinn" She replied without looking up, she looked around the room once more and finally moved on to the hallway. Her fathers looked at each other and both raised an questioning eyebrow

"Baby what's Quinn?" Hiram asked following his daughter in the hallway leaving his husband behind staring out the window

"Lucy"

Hiram turned to his husband and waved his hands in the air, Rachel was always a strange child, but strange in a wonderful way. From a very young age of 2 she knew what she wanted, and that was to be a star, luckily she was extremely talented in the singing department and very focused on achieving her many dreams, which led to them having to renovate their cellar to make space for her many trophies and awards. She had a drive that most young people didn't get until high school but when they saw her pick up a plastic pink mic and whale incoherently into it while dressed as a ninja turtle they both knew that their daughter was going to be something special but they also knew she would suffer for it.

"Sweetie" Hiram grabbed his daughter by the shoulders in an attempt to stop her, she sighed before finally raising her eyes to meet his.

"You've gone to that weird place and you're not making any sense, Now start from the beginning" He took a breath to allow her to nod "What has Quinn got to do with Lucy"

"Use your words baby" Leroy offered finally joining them in the hallway.

"Lucy IS Quinn, she doesn't go by Lucy anymore" She explained

"Oh" Hiram looked to Leroy who looked back just as confused,

Rachel looked between her fathers and rolled her eyes

"Quinn is her middle name"

They both nodded along still not completely understanding.

"Anyway, Lu…er Quinn is just as nervous as you are about this meeting" Leroy said

"I highly doubt that" she said sighed

"Yeah, so why has she been sitting outside in her car for the last 10 minutes?" Leroy smirked

All 3 Berry's moved over to the side window of the front door and looked out and there sure enough was Quinn's red beetle parked up at the end of their driveway.

* * *

Quinn sat in her car, gripping onto the steering wheel. Willing herself to actually move out of the car. She was fine, absolutely fine until she pulled up and nerves set it. She wasn't scared about facing Rachel, she never was but facing Rachel's Dads was a completely different ball game. The two men had practically brought her up, her parents where always too busy, her father frequently going on business trips and her mother would be out lunching at the country club, she spent most of her childhood either with one of the maids or at Rachel's. the latter was always her favourite. It was her safe place, full of a love she had never known until that day her juice box burst. She would sometimes pretend that her and Rachel where sisters, and Hiram and Leroy where both their fathers. They treated her as such, she received the same love and admiration that Rachel got.

That's what stopped her getting out that car, how could she walk up and knock on the door like the last year or so hasn't happened. Rachel told her parents everything, she'd probably told them about every slushee, every name and every remark she had made. She felt sick to her stomach. They probably hated her, they would probably be polite but look at her with disappointing eyes, she didn't care about anyone else looking at her like that but she feared it from them it made her feel ashamed.

What was she thinking, coming here was the worst idea she ever had, she put her key back into the ignition and was about to turn the engine on when someone knocked on her window almost frightening her half to death. She looked around to be greeted with Hiram looking down at her making the rolling down motion with his hands, she obliged.

"Are you going to sit out here all day, or are you gonna have some lunch with us?" He smiled and pulled opened her door, she slid her body out the car and let him shut her door. He put out his arm for her to take before leading her up to the house she practically grew up in.

* * *

"So Lu..Quinn, who did your nose?" Hiram asked much to the Flabbergasted looks from his husband and daughter

"Hiram!" Leroy warned

"What?, it's a nice job, whoever done it is a genius"

"Daddy!" Rachel groaned. She shot her eyes to Quinn who was sat across from her chasing her tomatoes around her plate not looking at anyone. The silence had been deafening for the past 10 minutes but this was the worst topic of conversation possible. He shrugged his shoulders to his husband at the opposite end of the table before standing up and grabbing his plate, he walked around the table and collected both Rachel and Quinn's plates before motioning to his husband for him to follow.

The girls sat in slience for a few seconds before Quinn eventually looked up at Rachel, she watched her shuffle awkwardly and play with the Pandora bracelet on her wrist, she twirled it and pulled at the charms. Aware that Quinn was looking at her she looked up.

"What?" she nervously tucked a piece of brown hair behind her ear

"I don't get it" Quinn answered sitting forward and resting her chin on her linked hands

"get what?"

"Why don't they hate me?"

"Why would they hate you?"

Quinn raised an eyebrow,

"I haven't told them if that's what you're getting at"

"Why not?"

"What would it achieve?" Rachel shrugged

Quinn was about to speak again before being interrupted by the Berry men re-entering the dining room. They placed a piece of sponge cake down in front of the girls.

"How is your father?" Leroy asked

Quinn looked at him, her eyes widening, she dreaded this question and felt the same embarrassment every time she was asked it, she couldn't exactly tell the truth that he was a raging alcoholic who spent most days in his dressing gown shouting at daytime TV.

"He's fine, he's taking some time off work at the moment" she smiled but it faded the second she looked back down at her plate.

Rachel observed her for a few seconds

"Why don't we go upstairs and start on that song" Rachel scraped back her chair and waited for Quinn to follow her, Quinn smiled to both of the Berry men and politely thanked them before following Rachel to her room.

* * *

Quinn walked slowly around the room she had spent most of her childhood in. it seemed alot smaller than she remembered, She knew every inch but it felt so strange. Like she wasn't actually there, almost dream like. Rachel sat on her bed fascinated by her wandering back and forward.

"Are you going to sit down?"

Quinn stopped and looked at Rachel, she looked at the bed and decided it be too close so she walked over to the desk and rolled out the seat before sitting down on it, Rachel watched her musing over her behaviour, any other time she would have already jumped on the bed beside her, snuggled into her arm and set about their task. Rachel shook her head laughing to herself and picked up the college pad and pen she laid out on her bed earlier.

"What should we write about?" She asked looking to Quinn who stared back blankly

"I don't know; it was your idea" Quinn shrugged

"This wasn't my idea" Rachel sighed and began swirling a design on the bank yellow paper

"Well it's not exactly how I like to spend my Saturdays" the blonde sighed while staring at her perfectly polished nails.

"It never used to bother you" Rachel meant to whisper it to herself but Rachel being Rachel said it a little louder that she intended and without looking up she knew Quinn was scowling at her, she could literally feel the girl's eyes burning into the crown of her head.

"Things change" Quinn said through gritted teeth

Rachel nodded but still didn't look up from the piece of paper she had now completely covered in mindless doodles. "Clearly".

Quinn ignored that remark, she wanted to get up and walk out, she wanted to do that from the minute she walked back into this room but she couldn't, she wouldn't let Santana win this. So as much as Rachel was sure to annoy her she had to get her on side. Quinn stood up from the chair and walked over to the bed, watched carefully by Rachel she sat on the edge of the bed. Lifting her leg she sat further on the bed and faced Rachel.

"look" she stopped for a beat "Can we just start again?"

Rachel looked at her properly for the first time since she walked through the door. Was this really happening was Lucy really wanting to be friends again? Her head was screaming at her that this was a set up and Quinn was up to something far more sinister, but her heart was begging her to give Lucy another chance. She looked at her harder, the face was slimmer and had concealer to hide her millions of freckles but it was still Lucy despite her new sculpted nose, her eyes never changed even if they did seem a little dimmer and her smile didn't reach her eyes the way it used to but she was still there, somewhere.

"whats the catch?" she asked putting down her pen

"No catch, we're in Glee club together, we have this assignment. Better than fighting all the time"

"For the record I still don't know why we were fighting"

Quinn glared at her, and almost gave in to the overwhelming urge to walk out.

"That doesn't matter now, I'm so happy we're friends again" Rachel smiled and Quinn smiled her half smile back "We should write a song about our new friendship" Rachel ripped the doodled piece of paper from the pad and placed it carefully on her bedside table,

"Yeah maybe we should think of something else" Quinn half smiled

* * *

"Thanks again for lunch" Quinn shouted into the lounge where the Berry men were doing their Saturday crossword, they both looked up briefly and smiled, "Anytime, Quinn" Leroy said. Tell your father we were asking for him" Hiram added before they both turned back to their papers. Rachel walked her to the door and pulled it open.

"It's been great having you over Lucy, even if we didn't actually write any good songs, although I still think the one about my hairband was outstanding" she shrugged her shoulders and looked breifly down to the ground digging her hands into her pockets "I still dont understand why you had to rip it up"

"For the millionth time it's Quinn!" she wasn't mad this time, she said it more with a sarcastic smile that Rachel picked up on.

"Is ridiculous to think that after all these years I'm going to start calling you by your middle name"

"Goodbye Berry" Quinn shook her head and smiled while she turned and began walking down the pathway towards her car.

"Bye, Lucy" Rachel called after her grinning.

She drove back towards her home thinking about the entire day so far, as much as she would deny it to everyone, she actually enjoyed her afternoon at the Berry's house. She actually enjoyed her afternoon with Rachel, it was just like old times but it was too like old times and it began to fill her with sadness and anger. She tried to push it aside but she couldn't. Rachel was nothing but nice to her and right now she could feel the hatred creeping back in, memories flooded her head, she had to pull over into the side of the road as tears began to fall thick and fast from her eyes, she tried to gulp back the lump in her throat threatening to burst through the skin in her neck. She breathed deeply and it helped a little but the pain was stinging her throat.

She breathed deeply again and again until the pain quelled a little and she was able to control her tears, she looked around herself making sure no-one was watching and frantically began wiping at her cheeks. She drove home fast and without really remembering anything about it, pulling into her driveway she saw her Dad's car in the exact same space it occupied when she left, meaning one of two things, he took a cab to his lunch meeting or he missed it and is somewhere in the house drunk and sleeping. After walking into the house full of darkness she knew it was undoubtedly the latter.

Walking through the main hallway she kicked an empty bottle of beer across the wooden floor, sighing she moved further into the kitchen where the only light in the household shone brightly, more empty bottles filled the worktops, brown beer bottles dominating the empty bottle of scotch. She sighed and shook her head she had only been gone a few hours. she heard the sound of glass breaking coming from the garden, looking out through the window she finally located her Dad, he was still in his navy dressing gown and blue checked pyjamas, standing amongst the grass in bare feet. He raised his arm and swung the golf stick in his hand at one of many balls scattered at his feet at the empty bottles he had lined up on the grey-stone wall a few metres away from him. Set down beside him was another half-drunk bottle of scotch, he picked it up and raised it to his mouth and took a long hard swig from it before meandering back to the wall he picked up the bottles and set them up again.

"Dad!" Quinn walked out to the garden, he took another swig and walked back to his original spot.

"Go back inside!" he grunted, she didn't obey instead she moved closer to him but flinched when he swung the golf club again and the the ball smashed a bottle

"Dad stop please" she tried to reach for the bottle in his hand but he pulled it away, she tried to reach for it again but he pushed her back with the back of his arm and took another swig from it.

"Go back inside Lucy! don't fucking make me tell you again" He turned away from her "I bet she'd be so proud of you!" she screamed back, he snapped his head to her, his face turning red he stepped towards her "I'm gonna tell you one more time Lucy, get in that fucking house now!" he shouted in her face but she didn't back down

"My name is QUINN!" she shouted back but he sneered

"Your name is Lucy! fat, spotty ugly Lucy! no amount of plastic surgery or hair dye will change that, you're an embarrassment! To me and your mother, she was so ashamed of you"

Quinn took a step back "I hate you!" and she ran back towards the house

"Ditto!" he called after her.

Running to her room she threw herself down on the bed and began sobbing into her pillow, her phoned beeped from her pocket, pulling it out she looked at the screen, it was a group message started by Puck.

 _ **'Party at Puckerman Palace tonight bring your hot bod and own alcohol'**_

'I'm in' she wrote back before discarding the phone again.


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the amount of time between uploads, This semester has been so insane._

 _from now on the uploads will occur regularly now that I can finally breath again!_

 _thanks for all your reviews, and leave more telling me what you like/dislike_

 _Thanks F x_

* * *

 _Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements, even if it leads nowhere?"_

Chapter 5

Rachel froze in her bed, pulling the comforter tighter she balled her fists into the fabric and held it over her head. After a few more seconds of silence, she slowly removed it and looked over to window.

 ** _Crunch_**

She pulled it back up and let out a little scream, she was shaking violently now, but daren't move, she couldn't scream even if she wanted to, which would be futile considering her parents where still out at her Daddy's work thing. A few more seconds passed and once her breathing returned to semi-normal she pulled the fabric back down.

 ** _Thud!_**

Yep, this is how I'm going to die she thought to herself, holding the comforter over her entire body with one hand as the other stretched across to the empty table where she thought her phone was. Her body was frozen and not even the rapid beating of heart would thaw it. She accepted that tonight would be the night her life was tragically cut short by a faceless intruder. She imagined her funeral, her father's crying in the front row, cursing themselves for being selfish and staying out late the one night she actually needed them. The glee kids, faces solemn, eyes red and bulging form all the crying, they would sing as an ensemble, faces forward, catatonic from their collective loss. It be beautifully tragic. Maybe after the service Finn would drop to his knees and scream to the sky, just wishing that he took the chance to be with her, Mr Shuester crying over her casket rueing the day he never gave her that solo. She smiled, then worried for her own sanity, she kind of relished in her bleak thoughts.

Something hit off her window that made her skeleton rip from her body, she looked over to it waiting for a shadowy figure to cut through the glass with one of those laser thingies they use in the spy movies.

"Raccccccchhhhaeeeeeeel" the voice from outside sing-songed

Her eyes widened instantly recognising the voice, surely not.

"Rach!" The voice shouted again louder than before.

She threw the comforter to the side and swung her bare legs from the bed. As she moved around the darkness towards her window she tried to stretch up to look out, just on the off chance it was her imagination and there was in fact a big burly man waiting in the bushes, leading her into a false sense of security. She audibly sighs when she is close enough to see the body swaying back and forth in the darkness just a few yards from her below her window. The moonlight and a street lamp from the other side of the fence was the only light over her backyard but it was enough to illuminate Quinn standing there blatantly trying to hold her balance.

"Finally!" Quinn groaned after Rachel opened her window and hung the top half of her body out.

"What took you so long?" Quinn hissed

"I was sleeping!"

The Blonde scoffed and pulled her wrist to eye level, closer to her face than necessary but then again it was the dead of the night and she was clearly intoxicated. Rachel watched intently, realising before Quinn did that there wasn't a watch on that wrist. Quinn grunted and Rachel laughed.

After swinging her arm back down, Quinn stared at the ground, Rachel continued to watch her, waiting for Quinn to Announce why she was suddenly a feature in her landscaping. After what felt like a million years of watching her sway back and forward Rachel finally said, "What do you want Lucy?"

She finally looked back up to Rachel, "Do you wanna come out?" she hiccupped, Rachel rose her eyebrow.

"I really think you should go home"

Quinn scoffed, stumbled backwards but quickly regained her balance. She looked up, her eyes digging into Rachel's, she thought Rachel would jump at the chance to spend time with her, she tried to steady herself, make herself look more in control than what she was, "Fine, can you take me home?" she hiccupped again

"I can't drive" Rachel replied, noting that Quinn hadn't blinked in a very long time, it made her feel uncomfortable, like she was almost daring her to not say no, it was unnerving.

"I'll tell you how"

"I don't really think that's legal, Lucy"

"Whatever" Quinn finally blinked after rolling her eyes "look are you coming down or not?" Rachel brought her lip between her teeth and looked down at the blonde before flicking her eyes around the yard, looking for the rest of the cheerleaders, possibly football team, lurking in the darkness waiting to throw slushies' at her the second she stepped foot into her yard. "I'll be right down, but I'm not driving anywhere I'll call you an Uber"

"This was stupid" Quinn chided herself, she still wasn't sure how she ended up here, but after deciding the party at Puck's was lame she wandered into the night, and her legs carried her here. Looking around she blew out her cheeks and watched her breath catch in the cold air, like smoke it bellowed skywards and she watched it dissipate into the night sky.

It didn't take long for Rachel to appear in front of her, wearing an oversized school sweatshirt and 3 quarter length track bottoms, with those furry Ugg type boots. Quinn eyed her as she cuddled her body inside the sweatshirt, she seemed a lot smaller than she remembered. They looked away from each other, Rachel wrapped her arms around herself shielding from the cold, while Quinn rocked back and forward on her feet, eyes showering around Rachel's body without looking at her. Quinn opened her mouth several times, but never said anything. Rachel continued staring at the ground, still half waiting for someone else to jump out from the darkness.

"Do you wanna, erm, sit down" Rachel finally said motioning towards the bench just a few yards from them. Quinn nodded and followed Rachel, Rachel stood back and allowed Quinn to sit down before she slid beside her, folding one leg below her and raising one up to rest her chin on.

"so, what did you do tonight?" she asked while tucking her hands in each of her sleeves and folding them on top of her upright knee.

"Was at Pucks" Quinn shrugged

"Oh" Rachel's eyes widened at the thought "just you and him?"

Quinn laughed, and looked at Rachel in the same horror she was looking at her, "God no, I'm not stupid enough to be alone with him"

"Well I would hope so" Rachel smiled before looking at her. "I've heard he's got a silver tongue when it comes to ladies"

Quinn laughed again "silver tongue? .. Are you fifty now?!", Rachel blushed and dropped her chin back to her folded arms.

"everybody was there" she waved her hand dismissively

"everybody?" Rachel's eyes widened as she sat back up and looked to Quinn

"Yes, I think most of the school, even the some of the Glee Ki…" Quinn stopped when she saw Rachel's eyes fall to her knees as she ran her hands up and down her own bare legs.

"Everybody but me apparently" she said looking off to the distance before crossing her arms back over her knee and rubbing her forehead across the back of them.

Quinn felt her heart slump a little, a wash of guilt sobering her, she reached out absently and was about to put her hand in Rachel's hair when she came to her senses and snapped it back, running it through her own hair instead.

"It wasn't that good anyway, hence why I'm here with you", it was a miss-fired attempt to cheer Rachel up.

"Um, Thanks" Rachel's head shot up, she was clearly just a stop gap for Quinn, she felt anger warm her cold body as she took to her feet. Quinn's eyes never leaving her as she mirrored her and shot up too.

"Rachel, I didn't mean it like that" she stepped forward and tried to place her hand on Rachel's arm but when the smaller girl flinched at the touch Quinn stepped back again, knowing that it wasn't from the anger that was clearly visible on Rachel's face but it was from something more deep seeded. The guilt consumed Quinn and she reached for her again but Rachel recoiled, "I'll call you an Uber" Rachel snapped and headed towards her house, shaking her head and finally admitting to herself that she had been foolish to think that Lucy would want to be her friend again. Maybe Lucy really was gone and she was indeed this new Quinn girl she claimed to be.

* * *

Quin turned on her side, groaned and flipped back onto her back. She wished she was one of those people who could sleep the day away after a night spent drinking, but here she was wide awake, at 7:32 on a Sunday morning, she groaned louder and punched the mattress at the side of her body. For the life of her she could not get comfortable, and when she did, her brain would race thoughts a million miles an hour. The front runner was last night after Puck's party. Rachel never came back out to the yard after she went inside to phone, instead she opened the door wider and walked further into the house. Quinn didn't know what else to do other than follow her inside, she shut the back door behind her then walked through the house until she found Rachel now at the front door holding it wide open. She didn't question it and moved passed her until she out on the lawn in the cold while Rachel hovered in the doorway, burying her face in the ridiculous sweatshirt she was wearing.

She punched the mattress again, deciding it was far better than punching herself in the face, which she had a very sudden strong urge to do. What was I thinking, she thought to herself as she threw her body back on her side and curled herself around the blanket. This whole thing was a mess, she was so far in the shit she couldn't see a way out. Sure, she could admit defeat and bow down to Santana but that meant losing something that was so important for her high school plan, she would not give it up without a good fight. However, if she didn't give up and pursued her goal, it opened her up to Rachel, she had spent the last year and a half building a wall around herself to guard herself from other people but after yesterday she doubted just how strong it was, she felt it unravelling just being in the same vicinity as Rachel, and it frightened her. She needed to hold onto the anger that consumed and ruled her otherwise she would be able to feel again, and that wasn't an option to her. Not now and not ever.

At 9:03 her head moved off the pillow, she wiped her mouth from drool and sat up in her bed. Dreams eluded her but she had made her mind up, she would build a thicker wall and win the bet against Santana if it killed her. The title was rightfully hers and she would be damned to hell if she let that bitch take it from her. She knew she had to up her game. Pulling her phone into focus she smiled wickedly as she clicked through the screens until she was typing out a new message.

 **Quinn :** Hey, ru awake?

 **Rachel :** _writing…_

Rachel is online

 **Rachel:** _writing…_

Rachel is online

 **Rachel** : _writing…_

Rachel is online

 **Rachel:** _writing…_

Quinn groaned out of impatience and threw her phone down on the bed but two seconds later clambered across the bed to retrieve it when it vibrated.

 **Rachel:** I am

Seriously?. That's it? She sighed to herself

 **Quinn:** How are you?

 **Rachel:** Spectacular, what do you want?

Quinn shook her head,

 **Quinn:** First, I wanted to apologise for last night, I shouldn't have come over drunk and I shouldn't have said what I said. In my defence, it came out wrong.

 **Rachel:** Don't worry about it. is there a second? I'm kind of busy

 **Quinn:** oh, I was going to see if you maybe wanted to meet up today to finish writing that song?

 **Rachel:** _writing…_

Quinn gripped the side of her phone, this shouldn't be this hard.

 **Rachel:** I don't think that's wise, I'm going to tell Mr schue that I don't want to do an original song anymore. As I said before I'm busy today. So, if there's nothing else I'll no doubt see you in the morning at the lockers. Bye Quinn.

Quinn stared at the text re-reading it repeatedly, shocked at how much of a bitch Rachel was being to her. Her thumbs where poised over the screen to write back a scathing text but then she remembered the bet and threw the phone away without retrieving it this time. Resting her head back on the headboard she wrapped her arms around her waist and closed her eyes.

* * *

 _"Lucy honey breakfast is ready"_

 _She hurriedly jumped up from her bed and was out the door before the sentence ended. Galloping down the stairs she landed with a thud at the bottom and rushed towards the kitchen. When she arrived, she heaved herself up onto the breakfast bar chair and smiled widely at her mother Judy as she scooped two pancakes onto a plate and handed it to Quinn. Judy smirked at her youngest daughter as she began shovelling the warm cakes into her mouth._

 _"There's more where that came from"_

 _"Ah, there's my two favourite girls" Russel folded his paper and threw it down on the breakfast bar before kissing Lucy on the cheek and moving behind the counter to pull his wife into a kiss. It was a rare occurrence that both of her parents where home at the same time and Lucy relished in it. She watched as he nuzzled in Judy's neck making her giggle with his unshaven face. Lucy's eyes darted quickly away when he grabbed for Judy's bum and she slapped him on the shoulder. He chuckled a hearty laugh before moving back to the breakfast bar to pick up his paper._

 _"What's your plans for today Lucy-loo" He asked unfolding his paper_

 _"Me and Rachel are going to the mall" She answered handing her empty plate back to her mother, he smiled and reached for his wallet producing two fifty dollar bills to his daughter_

 _"Don't spend it all in one shop, and eat something while you're out" he kissed her once more on the cheek before disappearing towards the lounge. She smiled after him, as much she hated their absenteeism in her life, she lived for these moments when they could just sit and have breakfast together like a real family. Her father wasn't a perfect man but he was still so in love with her mother after all these years, and he worked hard to give them both everything they needed. She hoped that she could find a man just like her daddy, they would have the most perfect wedding, the most beautiful children and live happily ever after, next door to Rachel of course._

 _"Good morning Mr Fab" Rachel's voice boomed throughout the house disregarding the fact that it was early and someone could still be sleeping_

 _"They're in the kitchen love" he said to her as he returned to the lounge leaving her to skip through the house and locate both Quinn and Judy._

 _"My fathers sent these over" Rachel handed a Tupperware box full of her Daddy's freshly made muffins to Judy. She smiled as the brunette heaved her little body on the chair next to Quinn._

 _"Tell them I said thank you, do you want some breakfast?"_

 _"Thank you, but I had one of your muffins on the way over"_

 _"Theif!" Lucy pointed her knife at Rachel with a mouth full of pancakes._

 _Rachel's mouth fell open and she threw her hand over her chest feigning shock at the allegation._

 _"Excuse me! I'll have you know I am no such thing. By law they still belonged to me until I handed them to the intended owner, just like when my mother gave me to my fathers"_

 _Both Lucy and Judy looked at her with the same quirked eyebrows before sniggering in the same manner. "You're a strange little thing" Judy laughed and moved further into the kitchen. Rachel turned in her seat and faced Lucy "Guess what!" she said excitedly full beam of a smile on her face._

 _Rachel opened her mouth to speak but was shushed when Lucy held her hand up in front of her face and Rachel's mouth snapped shut. Lucy finished chewing and wiped her mouth slowly, before folding up the used napkin and placing it carefully on the plate. She slid of the seat and wiped down remaining crumbs from her t-shirt one by one. Rachel knotted her eyebrows together impatiently. Lucy knew it was driving her crazy by the way her foot was banging repeatedly on the pole of the chair._

 _Impatience was lifting and anger falling in Rachel's face. She was literally going red form the neck up, once Lucy knew she was about to burst she adjusted herself and turned to Rachel._

 _"Now you can talk"_

 _The anger washed away instantly and the smile was back on her face as she grabbed Lucy's wrists and pulled her body down to match Lucy's._

 _"We are" she stopped for dramatic effect. "going to" she paused longer before it was Quinn's turn to groan impatiently, Rachel looked down then back up with the biggest shit eating grin "ITALY, were going to Italy!". Lucy brought her bottom lip between her teeth until both girls began jumping up and down on the spot excitedly and hugging each other._

* * *

"RACHEL PUT PUSH THE BRAKE!"

The car came to a screeching halt throwing both occupants forward against ther safety belts. Rachel let go of the steering wheel and sat back in her seat and looked over to her father who is clinging to the door handle with one hand and almost pushing through the roof with the other. His eyes clenched shut so tightly all the wrinkles on his face are prominent. His body was so far back in his seat it was hard to tell where the chair ended and his body began.

"It wasn't that bad" she half laughed then looked to him again "Was it?"

He opened one eye to confirm they had stopped and then slowly opened the other. He looked around the empty parking lot to make sure there was no casualties then turned his harrowing stare to his daughter.

"You didn't kill anyone, and the car is intact, that's all that matters" he rasped out

"That's not what I asked". She looked down at her lap and scraped old nail polish off her thumb nail.

"Baby, some people just aren't cut out to drive, and that's ok. When you're the biggest star on Broadway you'll have your own driver. You won't need to drive" he smiled and looked out his door window "thankfully" he said thinking he was whispering but like his counterpart, he wasn't aware of the volume of his own voice.

She knitted her eyebrows together and scowled at her father. "Thanks dad!"

He rolled his eyes and finally removed his hand from the handle and ran it over the back of his neck.

"I don't know where this sudden interest has come from, it never used to bother you baby" she looked back down at her hands and sighed "hey, talk to me", he said placing his own hand over hers and waiting for her attention.

"Its stupid" she said looking away from him and out the window at nothing.

"I would never think anything you said was stupid"

She looked back at him, his eyes full of worry and kindness.

"It's just" she sighed and looked away again. "I never had to drive before, Lucy and I would get the bus to school and when she passed drivers Ed she would drivee us everywhere but now she's not around, I guess I feel kind of lonely getting the bus myself"

His heart broke for his only child, he could see her swallow back the lump that was forming in her throat and he reached out pulling her to him. Planting kisses on the top of head he rocked her, he never understood why they had fallen out, he just knew they had. He watched helplessly as she grieved for the lost friendship, Rachel never revealed why it had ended but both he and his husband had a pretty good idea.

"I thought you were talking again?"

She shook her head against his chest and hugged tighter into him

"You saw her yesterday, she's not the same person. She's changed so much"

"Baby, that's to be expected. I can't begin to imagine what she has gone through. She's far too young to experience something this devastating. Losing a parent at any age is hard, but she was 15, I can't bear to think you having to." he paused to make sure she was listening and contain the quiver in his voice "she had to grow up so fast in such a small amount of time, it's bound to affect her, and it will continue to affect her until she learns to live in a whole new world, and when she does she'll need her best friend to help her pick up the pieces, you just have to hang in there baby, she'll come back"

Rachel was silent for a moment before shuffling from his arm. "What if I don't like what she's turned into?"

"She's still Lucy baby, whatever form she takes she'll still be that same girl deep down you just have to find a way to bring her back"

"What if I can't, what if she doesn't let me" she asked defeated already

Hiram smiled, "She will, you just have to find away. Show her you'll do whatever it takes" he smiled

"You can do anything baby, I believe in you"

* * *

Later that night Rachel sat at her laptop whilst mindlessly drumming her fingers on her desk. She stared at the screen in front of her. Staring back from about a quarter of the screen was a profile picture of the faux smiling Quinn Fabray. Rachel had already studied every millimetre of the image. It was taking from a group shot of a performance but Quinn had cut and edited it to show only her suspended in the air, both arms stretched out and her legs tucked neatly under her body. From a far she looked blissfully happy, the perfect cheerleader. But on careful inspection Rachel noticed little cracks in the façade. Quinn was never good at lying her bright playful eyes always gave her away, but in the image, they were emotionless, so thick and black like a shark's eyes that it saddened her.

The screen shut off after the long period of inactivity and Rachel leaned forward to bring it back to life. She stared at the little box. The implications of it haunted her, it was more than any other innate Facebook friend request. By clicking it she opened herself up to even more bullying and ridicule at the hands of the profile owner and her cronies but on the other hand it could also be a gateway to getting her best friend back. She chewed her bottom lip a little longer before closing her eyes and clicking on the mouse tracker and opened them in time to see box turn from blue to grey telling her the request had been sent.


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey, thank you so much for your continuous comments, favourites and Follows._

 _I have reworked this fiction, I wasn't 100% happy with it so decided to go back and change some things, although there isn't drastic changes there are some, they don't make a big impact to how the story is going but I felt it was necessary to make said changes. I understand how annoying this could be but I hope you continue to enjoy this fic._

 _Please continue to comment to let me know what you think, like or hate_

 _Thanks_

 _F x_

 _(Chapter Title - "Waterfalls" by TLC)_

 _I do NOT own any characters nor songs mentioned._

 _Merry Christmas !_

* * *

 _"I know you're gonna have your way or nothing at all"_

Chapter 6

There was something different about today, like it was the start of something, But Rachel didn't know what. She walked down the hall she'd walked down a hundred times before but she never had the sense of dread she always had. Something about Quinn accepting the friend request as fast she did, made Rachel believe that maybe they were on the right track. She turned the final corner leading to her locker and automatically stopped when she saw Quinn, Santana and Brittany stood at their usual spot in front of her locker. Quinn was the only one facing her, and instantly looked to her as though she sensed her presence. Rachel stalled having no idea how to proceed at this point, she didn't know if she should just go up and talk to Quinn, or if Quinn would even want to talk to her.

Still hovering she realised that Quinn was still watching her from between the other two cheerleader's heads and Rachel swore she saw a light smile form on Quinn's lips before she rounded up the other two and moved away from the lockers, Rachel still rooted to the spot watched them as they walked past her close enough that she flinched out of reflex. Nothing happened, they just simply moved past and disappeared down the corridor without so much as looking in her direction. Today was going to be a weird day.

* * *

Rachel looked up and locked eyes with Quinn as she walked through the door of the Biology lab. Just like the week before Quinn began to walk towards Rachel's desk and took the empty seat beside her, smiling as she began to unpack her bag onto the table as though it was the most natural thing in the world. A few silent moments passed before A figure loomed over them, both girls looked up to see Tina hovering at the side of the desk.

"Can I have my seat back?" Tina asked looking over both of them, Quinn never answered her but shook her head whilst Buttoning up her lab coat. Tina looked from her to Rachel, who avoided eye contact with her. She didn't want Quinn to move this time. "But it's my seat!" Tina moaned,

"Listen stumbles, I'm going to make this very clear. This is no longer your seat, and Rachel is no longer your lab partner, now scuttle off and find another" Quinn snapped, locking her gaze onto Tina, threatening her with her eyes to prod further.

"Rachel?" Rachel finally looked at Tina and saw the tears pooling in her eyes which didn't go unnoticed by Quinn who stood up and came face to face with her.

"What are you so upset about, you don't even like Rachel",

"I—I-I-I-I-I Do"

"Please" Quinn smirked "I've heard what you say about her, but then in this class you act like she's your best friend, it's pathetic how you canter to the other two freaks, so listen carefully stumbles, back the fuck off or I'll come after you and trust me when I say you don't want that".

Tina took a step back, eyes flicking back and forth between them both, she wanted to cry but she refused to give Quinn that satisfaction, instead she dipped her head and moved out of their line of vision.

Quinn sat back down almost as though nothing happened as Rachel fixed her glare on her, Quinn didn't have to face her to know the look on her face.

"What?" Quinn sighed,

"Why did you have to be so mean?" Rachel scribbled on a blank page in her notepad

Quinn smirked. "Telling the truth isn't being mean".

In a weird sense, Rachel kind of agreed with Quinn. Tina didn't talk to her outside the classroom, even in Glee club, Rachel seldom spoke to anyone unless they forced to sing a duet together or do one of Mr Schuester's famous mash-ups.

"What do they say about me?" , Rachel looked down to the pen in her hand, not really wanting to know the answer, Quinn looked at her and studied her reaction.

"Nothing, I bluffed", Quinn lied, she had heard what they said but didn't think it would be productive sharing with Rachel that they thought she was nobody who thought she was a something, that she would never make it out of Lima and spend the rest of life chasing a pointless dream and that she looks like she fell through her grandma's closet.

They weren't wrong about the dress sense, Quinn would have to do something about that if she was going to continue this façade to win the bet. However, they were wrong about the fact that Rachel was a nobody, Even Quinn would admit that Rachel was going to shine, she was going to make it big and leave Lima behind. She was destined for greatness, she was destined to be a star.

"Ok class, today were going to make some gram stains. All the information is in your lab book, collect your equipment from the front and begin" Ms Edmund said before she went over some general house rules. Both Rachel and Quinn stood and looked at each other both beckoning for the other to go ahead. It took almost a whole minute before Quinn rolled her eyes and sauntered off towards the front table.

She came back with the equipment while Rachel read the instructions. Together they labelled 3 slides with their initials and then Quinn added 3 drops of water on each slide. Rachel used a toothpick and added 3 different forms of bacteria to each water drop. Next, they had to go to the back of the room and flood said slides with methanol before flooding the slides with the Gram's over a basin. Quinn was holding the slide when she dropped it and in attempt to catch it she knocked the basin over her arm and covered herself in the stain.

Rachel reacting quickly pulled Quinn over to a sink. Standing in front of her she pulled Quinn's arms up and instantly began to roll back her sleeves, Quinn didn't say anything, and watched Rachel carefully as she then turned on the taps and pushed Quinn's hands under the running water. With her own hands, she began rubbing Quinn's hands with the sterile soap, Quinn continued to stare blindly as Rachel's hands slid up and down her own, forcefully rubbing at the stains, the water was cold but Quinn was unaffected, it didn't even occur to her mind that someone could be watching, expecting her to whip her hands back at any moment and wrap them around Rachel's neck. Once the dark purple stain was removed Rachel dropped her hands and handed her a paper towel, silently Quinn watched her walk off to retrieve another slide, and they began again, Rachel completing the staining as Quinn watched on.

"What are you doing after school?" Quinn asked they packed up their things.

"We've got Glee". Rachel was about to walk away when Quinn stopped her.

"Did you tell Mr Schue you didn't want to do the original song yet?".

"No, I haven't" Rachel watched the smile form Quinn's lips "Don't, I have an idea, Can I come to yours after Glee?" Rachel nodded slowly. Confusion filling her face. Today was definitely the weirdest day.

* * *

It got weirder, Rachel walked into the choir room and passed by a whispering Tina, Mercedes and Kurt knowing she was the topic of conversation. Still she held her head high as she walked by the trio and sat down in her usual seat. A few moments later the other kids started to file in the room, including Quinn, Santana, and Brittany. Rachel eyed them as Quinn lead the unholy trinity to same row as her, sitting down leaving a space between Rachel and herself. Everybody seemed to stop and watch with questioning eyes.

"Rachel, do you want to sit here?" Kurt offered with a worried look on his face while he patted the seat beside himself. Quinn and Santana snapped their eyes to Rachel who havered, looking from Quinn to Kurt.

"No, thank you but I'm good here", Kurt smiled kindly but his worried expression said what Rachel was thinking. At some point the unholy trinity where going to launch an attack on the brunette.

"Ok guys, this week's assignment is group songs, we need to learn to work together and trust each other", Mr Schuester had entered the room moved further forward in front of the bleachers "I want you to break off into smaller groups, and perform as an ensemble, each day one group will perform and there might even be a prize at the end of the week"

The other kids excitedly spoke amongst themselves while Rachel sat back in her chair and sighed. she watched Tina, Mercedes and Kurt link arms, Finn, Puck, Sam mike and Artie fist bumped each other, The unholy trinity looked at each other with the same smug looks on their faces, leaving Rachel on her own.

Mr Schue looked at her "Rachel you have to join a group", with everyone looking at her she stood up and was about to move to the front row to join Kurt's group when she felt a hand tug around her wrist,

"Sit down Berry, you're with us" Quinn ordered.

Rachel's eyes flicked between the 3 cheerleaders and Santana raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at her best friend's action, but then a knowing smirk creeped along her lips and she turned her attention to Brittany, who furrowed her eyebrows, Rachel watched her whisper something to Brittany and the same smile appeared on her lips. This frightened Rachel. Everybody watched, silence consuming the room as Rachel folded her skirt underneath and sat back down, keeping the chair between them for distance.

* * *

"So, Q are you coming with Britt's and I tonight?" Santana leaned against The locker next to Quinn's

"No, I'm going over to Rachel's"

Santana rolled her eyes, "You know it's just a bet right?, you don't actually have to be friends with treasure trail?"

"I know, I have to make her trust me" Quinn shrugged pulling out her bag from her locker.

"Yeah, whatever. You ready? you can drive me and Britts to the mall"

"I'm going to wait for Rachel"

Santana looked at her waiting for her to show she was joking, "Wait, you're serious?". Quinn nodded.

"I told you it had to be believable", the smile fell from Santana's face,

"you're certifiable Quinn!" she said heaving her body off the locker and walking passed her friend,

"Oh well, Your funeral" , Quinn watched her disappear down out of sight, before turning back to her locker.

She knew she was getting herself tangled in something she wouldn't get out of. Rachel was her ticket to everything she ever wanted and until today she didn't feel guilty about using her. During the lab, Rachel, had come to her aid no questions asked, like she always had, and it killed her. For a few brief seconds, she felt like the old her, like they were back 2 years ago, and everything was ok with the world, but it wasn't, it wouldn't be ever again.

"Are you still coming over tonight?"

Quinn jumped, she failed to notice Rachel approach her, "oh, erm yeah, I was waiting on you", Quinn felt her cheeks blush.

Rachel's eyes widened "Really, why?"

"You said you don't drive, I'm not exactly gonna let you get the bus when im driving over anyway"

"Oh," Rachel was taken aback

"Is That ok?"

"um, yeah"

"If you'd rather I came over later that's fine?"

"No it's ok, just let me call my Dad"

"Ok, I'll meet you at my car"

This day was most definitely the weirdest the Rachel had in a very long time and she couldn't wait to see how it ended.

* * *

Quinn walked into the room ahead of Rachel, she expected the blonde to walk over to the desk like she did On Saturday but she never, she waited for Rachel to sit down then she sat next to her,

"So, what's your idea?" Rachel asked,

"Idea?" Quinn knitted her eyebrows together and look at the brunette

"You said earlier you had an idea for the song?"

"Oh" Quin shrugged feeling her cheeks flush "Yeah, I have nothing", she had lied earlier thinking she would come up with something before she arrived at Rachel's but completely forgot

"Is there anything you want to write about?" Quinn queried trying to shift the focus, "Do you even know how to write a song?"

Rachel brought her lip between her teeth and shook her head, "Do you?" she asked, Quinn also shook her head and both girls laughed. "What was I thinking?" Rachel asked throwing the notepad to the side, she stood up and Quinn watched her. She moved to the desk and picked up her laptop.

"What are you doing?"

"we'll Google it"

"you can't google how to write a song"

Rachel smiled and turned the screen towards her, displaying a wiki-how-to-guide,

"We shall start here" , Quinn rolled her eyes and reached back for the discarded notepad, making herself comfier she pulled both her legs up to sit Indian style on the bed, Rachel's eyes travelled the length of Quinn's legs to the hem of her Skirt, which barely covered her lower half, while Quinn shifted uncomfortably,

"Do you want me to get you some sweats or something?" Rachel offered unaware how uncomfortable Quinn was becoming under her staring eyes.

"No, its fine, she said reaching for the blanket and pulling it over herself. "I don't think I'll ever get used to these skirts" she half smirked

Rachel looked down at her keyboard, "What's it like?" She asked careful not to look up, she could feel Quinn's eyes on her, "What's, what like?" Quinn knew what she was meaning but she wanted to be sure.

"Being a cheerleader and being the most popular girl in school"

"It's ok , I suppose"

"just ok?"

"Its… incredible, Ray.."

Both girls looked at each other with the same shocked look at Quinn's slip up. It had been a long time since either of them heard the term, and it came from nowhere. Quinn wanted to run, she wanted to get the hell away from here as fast as her toned legs could take her she had completely forgot to keep her walls up. She had completely forgot that they were estranged friends, for the past half hour the past year hadn't happened. They were them again, Lucy and Rachel, sitting on the bed, totally relaxed, and talking about everything but nothing.

Quinn stood up, wiping her hands furiously down her skirt. "I need to go" she said, which was more than she wanted to. In her mind, she was already in her car, leaving Rachel's over familiarity in her rear-view mirror.

"But, we just got here?" Rachel defended but it was no use Quinn was already pulling open her door and rushing out the door.

Rachel fell back down onto the bed, that was twice in the space of 72 hours. She wondered if Quinn would show up drunk again tonight. She kind of hoped she would. She didn't.

* * *

Tuesday morning came and went and Quinn hadn't even blipped on Rachel's radar. Rachel knew that whatever had started yesterday came to a screeching halt when Quinn slipped out her past term of endearment. Knowing that she shouldn't she checked her cell for like the millionth time since Quinn left yesterday. There was still messages, no phone calls. Nothing. She sighed and threw it back into her locker.

"Hey Yentel" Santana appeared at Rachel's side as soon as she had shut the door, leaving Rachel to wonder if she had been stalking behind it this entire time. Rachel automatically braced herself for whatever was about to hit her, be it a slushy or a fist. Closing her eyes, she waited in anticipation while Santana eyed her.

"Calm down, I'm not going to hit you"

Rachel opened her right eye, and Santana smirked with pure pleasure at the effect she had on the girl. She opened the left when she was 20% sure she was no longer in danger.

"Q, wants to practise for this week's assignment, she said you have some sort of studio thing in your house?"

Rachel nodded, "Yes that is true, but..?"

"I didn't ask for your life story. when can we come over?" Santana pouted her lip and crossed her arms becoming increasingly impatient

"um, tonight"

"are you asking or telling me man hands?"

Rachel gulped "um, telling you"

Santana reached forward and tweaked Rachel's cheek with her finger and thumb, "good girl", "we'll be there around 7, make snacks" with that she was gone, leaving a confused Rachel standing with a slightly sore cheek.

* * *

It was 7:45 when her doorbell rang, she had been pacing in the foyer since 7. Still very sceptical about their real reason for coming over. She opened the door after taking a deep breath and all 3 cheerleaders stood, minus their uniforms. Brittany was wearing tight black skinny jeans with slits in the knees and a long white band t-shirt cut into a vest, Santana was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and cur off denims, and Quinn was wearing a skin-tight tanks top and leggings. For some reason, they seemed less intimidating without their hierarchy uniforms on.

"Hi Rachel" Brittany beamed and stepped into the house neglecting to wait for her invitation, Rachel stood back and let the other two enter with Quinn being the last to pass the threshold, she didn't even look at her as she made her way through the foyer.

Quinn had been dreading this all day, it was her idea to use Rachel's house, Quinn's was a no go on the account of her father, Santana's was always filled to the brim with her vast family, and Brittany had a strange connection to her cat, anytime Quinn went over there it winded up in a cat tea -party, there really only was one option left over. It also helped that Quinn knew Rachel had a studio, where they could make as much noise as needed without disturbing anyone, she cringed at her own thoughts thinking if anyone was to read her mind they would think they were planning on killing Rachel, which they weren't, well there was no plans.

She convinced Santana to be the one to ask her and here they were. Walking through Rachel's house, Quinn prayed that her fathers weren't home, she was frightened that they would be over friendly with her and reveal her former self. Thankfully there was no sight of them as they made their way into basement. When Rachel was unaware she studied her, knowing that she was nervous by the way she kept scratching the back of her hand, or whenever someone made a quick movement she flinched away from them, no conversation was taking place, it was all very awkward, Brittany was walking around the room, looking at all the trophies and awards, while Santana flicked through the shelf of pristine records on the wall.

"wow, I gotta say I'm impressed berry, this is not bad" Santana nodded in approval "who knew someone as dull as you would have this"

Rachel half smiled and Quinn rolled her eyes, it was almost a complement.

"I didn't know you had a sister?" Brittany was standing looking at a picture on the wall.

Quinn looked over to where she was standing and froze, she knew instantly what Brittany was referring to, it was a photo of her and Rachel clinging to each other, while Hiram enveloped them both, Each subject had the same wide grin on their face as Rachel clung to a gold trophy she won during a talent show held in their last year of middle school before everything fell apart. Quinn's heart thudded against her chest. This was the moment her whole life was going to fall apart, She wanted to run over and smash the framed picture to smithereens before anyone recognised her, but instead she watched helplessly as Santana moved toward the blonde cheerleader and began to study the photo, Quinn's eyes flicked to Rachel who was looking at her for the first time tonight with wide eyes.

"She kinda looks familiar, where have I seen her before?" Santana pondered

Quinn's heart was thundering in her ears so loud she so swore they could hear it, she tried to think of something to distract them, knowing the longer they looked at it they would realise it was her and everything would crash down around her. Panic was setting in, she could feel herself start to tremble, panic was starting to set it.

"She's not my sister, she's my cousin, she just graduated you probably seen her at school" Rachel shrugged and Quinn was instantly grateful.

"Are we gonna get started?" Quinn asked attempting to distract them, before shooting another look to Rachel and mouthing a word of thanks.

They had settled on "waterfalls" by TLC. Much to Brittany's annoyance due to the lack of dancing. They wanted to surprise Mr Schuester, by changing it into an even slower ballad, they planned to sit on stools for the entire performance and sing dramatically with little music. They ran through it a few times, each taking a verse each and trying to figure out how to harmonise on the chorus. Time had passed quicker than Rachel thought it would and she was surprisingly still alive when it was time for them to leave, Santana and Brittany didn't even say bye as they walked out the front door and headed towards Quinn's car. Quinn held back long enough for them to be out of earshot and turned back to face Rachel.

"thanks for earlier, you didn't have to do that" she said looking to the ground and putting her hands in her long cardigan pockets

"You would have done the same" Rachel smiled, shrugging

"yeah, probably not" Quinn shrugged with a smile while looking at Rachel

"Atleast you're honest" she smiled back, a few beats passed which neither girl saying anything,

"I mean it though, I really appreciate it"

"well then, you're welcome Lucy"

"for Christ sake, it's Quinn!" she didn't scold Rachel she said it playfully while rolling her eyes.

"It preposterous to think after all this time I'm going to call you by your middle name" Rachel explained playfully

"Q, Stop making out with Berry and hurry up" Santana shouted from the car, Quinn looked to the Latino then back to Rachel.

"I better go" she sighed rolling her eyes toward Santana, "bye Rachel" she smiled turning from the brunette

"Bye Lucy!" Rachel smiled and watched Quinn shake her head as she walked towards the car.


	7. Chapter 7

_"Ain't nothing gonna break my stride"_

 **Chapter 7**

"What was the about?" Santana studied Quinn, just as she had before when she held back to speak to Rachel. Instantly Quinn tensed and gripped harder onto the steering wheel.

"What?" Quinn looked to her right feigning road observation, in an attempt to have longer tot hink about her reply

"You and Berry, what did you say to her?"

"Nothing, just told her not to tell anyone about us being there" The lie skipped off her tongue as simple as the truth would have.

"I think she's nice" Brittany chirped in from the backseat, Santana turned and glared at her before turning back to study Quinn.

"Whatever, I'm so gonna win this" Santana waved her hand in the space between her and Quinn, "You have no chance, Berry will always be a Lima loser" sure of herself Santana watched for Quinn's reaction, knowing how tense she was making her as she squirmed in the driver's seat keeping her eyes trained to the road.

"What about your girl, I haven't seen any progress"

"Please, I've got it covered, she's primed and ready to go"

Quinn's teeth gritted together to stop the anger that was rising throughout her. She would not lose this, not to Santana, who right now was about one more comment away from being shoved out the passenger side door, if it wasn't for Brittany being witness it might have already happened.

Quinn pulled up the car outside Santana's house and finally turned to face her, "We'll see" she said with a forced smile. Santana's eyes flicked to her and a wicked smile spread across her lips before she leaned forward and kissed Quinn on the cheek and breezed out the car without saying another word.

"Bye Quinn" Brittany said while clambering into the front console, her long legs hitting Quinn in every possible way before she manged to climb out the door.

Quinn sped off, she didn't stay far from Santana, just a few streets but she still managed to get home in record timing, sighing loudly to herself when she saw Finn sitting on her doorstep. She hated when he showed up uninvited, she only ever invited him over when her father was out or having one of his better days. He stood up when he saw her car approaching and began to moved slowly towards her as she got out of the car. No words were spoken but he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her so close she came off her feet slightly.

"God, I've missed you" he breathed into her ear, she smiled into his chest and flinched a little when his warm breath tickled her ear.

"I saw you earlier" she said pulling back from him,

"Yeah I know, but I've not had you to myself in what feels like forever"

She thought back to the last time they had spent some time alone together, which was last week when he ran out her room. Without warning he leaned down and pecked at her lips, "What's your plans for tonight?" he asked her, holding her as close as possible to him.

The sound of glass breaking from inside the house separated them both, and they both turned the heads towards the offending noise.

"What was that?" he asked stepping forward to walk towards the house, she panicked and pulled onto his arm to stop him but his stature towered over her and her attempt was neglected as he powered towards the house. Shrugging from her grip he stopped and put both his hands on each of her shoulders,

"Wait here" he demanded and turned back to the house.

"No Finn, wait" she grabbed back onto him, the sound of another glass breaking stilled them both again. She instantly recognised what was happening but he seemed more determined to get inside the house.

"Finn go home" she demanded as more glass broke, he stared towards the house and then back to her,

"Don't be stupid Quinn, I'm going inside, phone 911" he moved again but Quinn gripped on tighter, "Finn, It's not what you think" she pleaded struggling against him, her heart thundering against her chest, she was petrified that he would see what has become of her father.

"Then what is it?" He stopped again and looked at her, his eyes searching hers, worriedly he placed a hand on her cheek and stoked it with the pad of his thumb.

"It's nothing, please just go" she stepped back from him, and looked to the ground. She had managed to keep her father's behaviour from him the entire time they had been dating, she wasn't ready for everything to be aired.

"please" she breathed out as he watched her, his eyebrow raised.

"You really want me to go?"

She nodded her head, not looking at him. She felt guilty for pushing him away, he was a good guy and he loved her more than she could ever love him, that hadn't bothered her up until now, her sense of guilt had been buried so deep that she almost forgot what it felt like but recently it had crept back into her and she couldn't control it.

He thought for a second, Anger apparent as he chewed at his lips stopping himself from saying what he really wanted to. He knew exactly what was going on, Quinn wasn't as good at hiding things as she thought. After he and his teenage daughter moved into town, It was well known that Russel Fabray hadn't dealt well with the sudden loss of his wife. He would often be seen falling out of the local bar or leaving an off license with bags full of Scotch. Finn knew exactly what kind of man he was and each time Quinn denied his behaviour he felt lied to by the girl who supposedly loved him. Taking a step back he continued to stare at her, his face reddening with anger he turned from her and began to walk away

"No do you know what, I'm sick of this Quinn" her eyes snapped to him as he spun back rough to face "You're always pushing me away, I'm supposed to be your boyfriend! But you treat me like a stranger," he was standing in front of her again as she just stared blindly at him "Do you even love me?"

She didn't answer, but She didn't have to, the look on his face said he knew, , as he took a step back she looked back at him. The anger from before being replaced by hurt, "I'm done with this" was all he said as he turned again walking away from her while all she could do was watch after him. Helplessly and unable to stop him. She wanted to run after him and stop him, but not because she loved him, but because she knew the further he walked away, the further her chances of being prom queen walked away too, and she hated herself for that being the only reason she wanted to stop him.

* * *

Across town Rachel settled in the leather desk chair in front of her laptop. It was only a smile, a sudden flash, it was slight and it was jokey but it was a real, the first real smile she had seen on the blonde's lips in what must be close to 2 years. It haunted her, she had memorised every second of it, especially the glorious way it ignited the sparkle back in her dull eyes, She realised how much she had missed it, how much she had yearned to see it again, and that was only the start she now wanted to see the full beam and not the dipped headlights that would have to suffice for now. She decided it was now her mission to put the smile back on her former friend's face no matter the cost.

She pulled the laptop closer to her and folded her leg under the rest of her body as she clicked the mouse bringing the screen to life. Within a few clicks she was on Facebook and after typing into the search box, she landed on Quinn's profile. She scrolled through each status and photo upload. If she was going to do this she was going to do it right, she would learn every aspect of Lucy's new life as Quinn, and find a way in. deep down Quinn was still Lucy, she knew she was, but Quinn had buried the girl so deeply that it was going to take a while to break through. Right now Quinn and Lucy where two distinctly different variations of the same girl and Rachel was determined to bring the latter back to the surface. A message interrupted her as it popped up on her screen but Rachel failed to mind when her eyes flicked over the name, she clicked on the blue box and let her eyes read the first sentence.

 ** _Quinn Fabray:_ _Hey Berry_**

 ** _Rachel Berry: Hey Lucy_**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: We really have to talk about this Lucy business._**

 ** _Rachel Berry: It's your name, Lucy_**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: It USED to be my name_**

 ** _Rachel Berry: Well, what does your birth certificate say?_**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: ….._**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: ok I guess you have a point.._**

 ** _Rachel Berry: Are you saying I win?_**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: It wasn't a competition Rachel_**

 ** _Rachel Berry: everything is a competition… and Rachel?_**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: What?_**

 ** _Rachel Berry: You never call me Rachel, Berry, Man hands, RuPaul sure. Never Rachel. Does that mean were friends again?_**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: Maybe.._**

 ** _Rachel Berry: I'll take that as a yes. From now on I request you call me Rachel_**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: only if you call me Quinn_**

 ** _Rachel Berry: Like I said before, Its preposterous to think I could call you anything than your real name…._**

 ** _Quinn Fabray: Man-hands it is then._**

 ** _Rachel Berry: That doesn't even make sense!_**

Quinn found herself smiling as she logged off her computer. The conversation between them lasted longer than she had intended, but it wasn't the worst conversation she had ever had. It was a little after 12 when she finally hauled herself into bed. She felt absolutely drained but her mind wouldn't shut off, today had been a rollercoaster, starting off as normal as any other but descending into her boyfriend storming off possible breaking up with her and a new formed friendship with her ex best friend. Everything seemed to be happening at warped speed, but it didn't stop her looking over at phone with a strong urge to text Rachel even though they had literally spent the last two hours chatting on Facebook. Turning over she faced the other side of the room trying to force herself to fight the urge and go to sleep.

* * *

The next morning Quinn drove along the quiet morning streets of Lima, the sun had barely rose and there was a slight crisp in the air. She should of took the next left towards school but instead she found herself turning right, a few moments later she took the final turn and pulled up outside Rachel's house. Waiting at the end of the driveway she looked at her watch and then to the door, on schedule the door opened and out walked Leroy carrying a travel mug and briefcase, at his back Hiram also exited the house and both made their way over to the car. Taking her cue Quinn got out from her own car and started towards them. They both looked to her and smiled

"Good morning" they both said in unison, "Rachel is in her room" Leroy offered as they both got into the car, as though this was the normal occurrence it had been before.

Quinn smiled and waved as the car revved into life and began to back up down the driveway "Have a good day" she called to them and they smiled back both waving before the car swung into the street.

Turning back to the house she took a deep breath and entered. Walking up the stairs she could already hear the song playing, and she smiled to herself, Rachel was still so predictable. Humming along with "Break my stride" by Matthew Wilder she waited outside the door for the song to finish. Knowing that if she interrupted Rachel during her workout session the girl would be intolerable for the rest of the day. Not that Quinn expected to be around her for the rest of the day of course. When Silence replaced the music Quinn rapped her knuckles off the door.

"come in Dad" the voice said from within the room.

Quinn pushed open the door and took a tentative step inside, Rachel eye's widened and scanned the blonde, "What are you doing here?" she asked completely caught off guard.

"Just thought you'd want a ride to school, since I was passing" Quinn shrugged looking at Rachel in her tight tank top and shorts. Rachel quirked her eyebrow knowing the Quinn didn't have to pass her house to get to the school, but what was even more surprising was the way Quinn's eyes where travelling her body before stopping at her legs. The muscles where still very prominent from her exercise and Rachel was more than aware of the way they must be protruding from her. She shuffled shyly suddenly feeling very vulnerable.

"That was nice of you" She smiled as Quinn finally looked back at her "I need to just grab a quick shower, make yourself comfortable" She said moving towards her bathroom and disappearing inside. Leaving Quinn still standing in the same spot trying to figure out why she was so entranced with the smaller girl's legs. It took at least 20 minutes before Rachel remerged and began to get dressed, out of sight of course.

As they walked into the entrance of the school, Rachel's heart began to thud, she was about to walk away from Quinn knowing that even though they had forged some sort of friendship, Quinn wouldn't be as relaxed at school. "Ok, guess I'll see you in Glee" she said as Quinn stopped in front of her eyebrows folding in confusion.

"Don't you need to go to your locker?"

"Yeah but I figured that in school we would go back to how it was" She shrugged, "It's ok I get it" Rachel dipped her head while tucking apiece of her chestnut hair behind her ear.

"Don't be silly, Berry" Quinn said and began walking again, slowing only for a second for Rachel to catch back up with her.

Every student slowed down to halt when they witnessed the two girls ascend the hallway side by side. Wide eyes and open mouths surrounded them, Quinn walked with her head high ignoring the glares while Rachel dropped her eyes to the floor trying to keep her legs from shaking and stay upright. It felt like the longest walk of her life when really it was only a few yards from where they started.

Santana and Brittany where already waiting by the locker and looked at her with the same eyes everyone else had. Well Brittany didn't, she didn't even register Rachel was there. They stopped in front of the lockers and Santana eyed both with a raised perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

"Q, Man hands" she greeted them flicking her eyes between the pair.

"Good morning Santana" Rachel smiled but was met with an icy glare.

Ignoring Rachel Santana turned her attention to Quinn, and stepped towards her closing the small distance, she placed her head close enough to Quinn's ear that only she could hear what was being whispered, "What the fuck are you doing?". Quinn never answered instead she pulled back and smirked wickedly at Santana. With her back turned to Rachel she mouthed the word "Winning" and Santana's face fell her eyes flicking to the small brunette who was busying herself in the locker.

"Ready Rachel?" Quinn stepped back still not breaking eye contact with Santana, Rachel stood almost to attention flicking her eyes back and forth between the staring cheerleaders until Quinn snapped around and began walking off followed closely by Rachel.

* * *

Over the next few days, Quinn continued to pick Rachel up in the morning and dropped her off after school. They would walk the halls side by side then part ways to attend their respective classes, not sharing any other classes than biology. Rachel found herself looking forward to that class knowing that she would get to spend more time with Quinn. Who in turn seemed to enjoy their liaisons just as much, as apparent when Rachel received the first text from Quinn during English class when they had only just left each other. They still hadn't spent time together after school, but before and during they had soon become inseparable, even gaining Rachel a seat at the same table as the cheerleaders, Santana stopped calling her names and bullying her but instead ignored her existence completely but Rachel didn't mind that much. Throughout the week members of the Glee club had approached her and voiced their concerns but Rachel simply ignored them, she refused to look the wonderful gift horse in the mouth.

It was Friday when Finn approached her in the hallway, she was alone and switching out books in her locker when he appeared at her side, clutching onto the strap of the bookbag that was slung across his shoulder. He towered above her as he leaned his shoulder onto the locker next to hers, "Hey Rach" he smiled that dopey smile as she craned her neck to look up at him.

"Hi Finn" her smile broadly flashed her face

"Can I ask you something?"

Rachel turned her full attention to him as her heart fluttered at the request, for a stupid second she thought he was going to ask her to the upcoming dance, but then she quickly remembered that he would be going with Quinn, you know. His girlfriend. Who she had recently struck up a a new friendship with and going to the dance with him would probably cause problems.

"Sure, you can" She smiled welcomingly

He looked at her for a long second, "What's going on with Quinn?"

The smile faded from Rachel's face, "What do you mean?"

"Like how is she and stuff?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Rachel quirked and eyebrow at the odd behaviour, not completely understanding why he was asking her about his girlfriend.

"We aren't exactly speaking at the moment" he looked upset

"Really?"

"Yeah hasn't she said anything?" he asked looking more hurt

"We're not exactly best friends Finn, maybe you should try and talk to her?" Rachel banged the locker door shut.

"Oh. I just thought cos you guys had been hanging out a lot that maybe"

"Maybe what Finn?" Quinn had sneaked up behind them without neither of them noticing, they both jumped and looked to her as she stood there arms folded, scowling at them both, Rachel didn't understand why she was mad at her, she hadn't done anything wrong. Well it was nice while it lasted, Rachel thought as Quinn's bored up to Finn.

"I was just asking Rachel how you were" he said straightening up.

"Ask me!" she demanded as he squirmed, his height seemed to diminish under her stare.

"How are you Quinn" he sighed.

"Fine" her teeth gritted together, Rachel tried to back off slowly but Quinn reached out and grabbed onto her wrist tethering Rachel to her "Is that all?"

Finn shook his head and stomped off angrily. "What was that all about?" Rachel asked very aware that Quinn was still holding by the wrist. "He's an idiot" she said finally letting go and turning to her locker, "What do you say we shopping at the mall tomorrow?" Rachel nodded still watching Finn as he finally disappeared from sight.

* * *

"Try this one" Quinn passed Rachel another dress through the emerald green curtain, A groan coming from inside as a hand snatched the garment away. They had been shopping for days, probably not days but it felt like days to Rachel. Standing in just her underwear she looked around herself at the mountain of clothes that surrounded her. Clothes she would never buy for herself let alone wear, but Rachel continued on with it, she was having far too much fun spending time with Quinn. She had tried on skirt after skirt, tight sleeveless turtle necks in a variety of colours, tight low cut shirts, skater dresses, mini dresses, body con dress, basically every dress known that didn't cover her legs. Although she was having fun with Quinn, playing dress up was starting to become tedious, she wanted to go home hours ago, but she also wanted to be with Quinn, that's why she persevered hoping that Quinn would soon become bored and end their trip.

"Last one I promise" Quinn called through the curtain as Rachel pulled on the corseted dress.

"You said that 5 dresses ago" she sighed and turned back to the curtain and pulled it open whilst being mindful to hug the corset to her upper body to keep the fabric in place. "Can you zip me up". Quinn dutifully moved towards her and Rachel turned taking hold of her pony tail and pulling it over her shoulder. Quinn took the zip between her thumb and index finger and carefully began to tug it up closing the ridges. Rachel's breath caught in her throat feeling the tightness around her torso. When she felt Quinn's, hand leave her she turned and her eyes instantly found the floor. "What do you think?"

Quinn's eyes travelled the dress scanning every inch of it, Rachel still wasn't looking up but she could feel the eyes burning through the fabric as they moved over the way it curved the side of her breasts and indented her slender waist, the hem of the skirt stopped just above mid-thigh, it was far too short for Rachel and she felt extremely exposed standing in front of her former bully, ex best-friend and now new friend. Quinn looked at her thoroughly while chewing on the corner of her bottom lip.

"Let me try something" she stepped forward and took the pony tail from Rachel that she still clung onto and released it from the hair-tie, running her fingers through the soft chestnut ends she pulled it over the brunette's shoulders.

"There" Quinn smiled and turned Rachel around by her shoulders to face the mirror, Rachel could still feel Quinn's fingers pressed into her skin when she eventually looked up at herself.

"Look how hot you look" Quinn smiled

Rachel watched herself, she scanned every inch of the dress the same way Quinn had and she had to admit she did look hot, the dress was extremely flattering but she could never actually wear it. Her fathers would totally flip out at something so revealing. Rachel's eyes travelled further up until they locked onto Quinn's who was still holding onto her shoulders and staring at the reflection of them both her head practically resting on Rachel's shoulder. "You're so buying this" she declared and finally let go of her. After looking at herself once more she turned to find Quinn going through the discarded clothes in the cubicle.

"And this, and this oh and this"

Rachel smiled at the blonde as she continued to pick up more clothes. Her fathers when going to kill her when they saw her credit card bill but at this present moment in time she didn't seem to care.

Later that night both girls sat on Rachel's bed surrounded by clothes and empty bags. The night was closing in and Rachel was beginning to dread Quinn leaving. She had enjoyed their day so much that she didn't want it to end. The cracks in Quinn's persona where finally opening and bit by bit Lucy was starting to shine through. It was silly things like when they were walking through the mall Quinn absently mindidly linked her arm through Rachel's, or when they stopped for coffee Quinn wiped the foam from the top of Rachel's cappuccino knowing that Rachel liked the taste of the foam in her coffee but hated texture of it, or when Quinn made a goofy joke that only Lucy would. They were small things but massive leaps to Lucy returning

"what are you thinking about?" Quinn broke her thoughts noticing the smile that sat on Rachel's lips

"Oh, erm nothing" Rachel answered

Quinn raised a sceptical eyebrow but looked to her watch "Shit, its late I better go"

"Do you have to? You could stay for dinner if you want?" Rachel asked disappointedly watching her own hand pick at an invisible thread on the bed.

"I can't, I have cheerio practise at 5am" Quinn took to her feet and collected her things before turning back to Rachel "Have you ever thought about trying out?"

Rachel looked back to her before letting out a hearty laugh. "Can you imagine?" she laughed harder and noted the lack of smile on Quinn's face. "Wait are you being serious?"

"Why not? your clearly athletic and definitely have the legs for it"

Rachel blushed and looked back down, "Lucy don't be ridiculous, I wouldn't have the first clue, plus Santana would probably throw me off the top of the pyramid and make it look like an accident"

"I could teach you, and ill handle Santana"

Rachel stood up and smiled at Quinn, "thanks for the offer but I really don't think cheerleading is for me"

"Will you at least think about it?" Quinn asked as she opened the door, Rachel looked at her a little harder waiting for the punchline that never came. "I'll think about it" she replied


End file.
